Wednesday, April 13 2005 18:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: The Karnataka Government today (Apr 13, 2005) announced a judicial probe into the hooch tragedy that claimed 22 lives in Bangalore Rural district yesterday (Apr 12, 2005) and suspension of nine excise officials, including four at the senior level.

Chief Minister N Dharam Singh announced the judicial probe by a retired High Court judge. The Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the suspension of officials for their "dereliction of duty" prima facie.

A Joint Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and two Superintendents of Police and five inspectors had been placed under suspension, Siddaramaiah said, noting that it was the primary responsibility of the excise department to prevent the sale of illicit liquor.

The Government's action is to send a tough message that it would not tolerate dereliction of duty, Siddaramaiah said, adding, those found guilty, be it officials or others "however influential", would not be spared.

Twenty persons had died after consuming spurious liquor at five different villages in Nelamanagla police station limits, 30 kms from Bangalore, and two more succumbed to the hooch since yesterday night. Almost all the victims were labourers.

Siddaramaiah said that some who lost their lives might have survived had they taken care to get themselves admitted to hospital soon after developing symptoms of illness.

The killer brew had been sold by an unauthorised vendor, he said.

If there was a nexus between officials and the vendors of illicit liquor, the probe would help bring it out, Siddaramaiah said.

Dharam Singh said, apart from providing compensation of Rs one lakh each to the next of kin of families of the victims, officials had been instructed to help them in other ways also.

Siddaramaiah said that the Government had been taking continuous action against habitual offenders booking them under the "Anti-goondas Act".